I’m Vietnamese by origin. Our country is famous for its agriculture such as rice export. Further notice, according to a report from the Office of Agricultural Affairs, Hanoi, the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) stated that during the first 8 months of 2023, Vietnam has been exporting “total volume of 5.9 million tons” of rice and became a second-largest rice export country in the worlds. This major culture also has been impacting my entire life since I was a little child, rice products have always held special meaning for me because they can represent my values, cultures, and life experiences. Rice has profoundly impacted my views, personality, ideas, and awareness throughout my life, molding me into the person I am now.
Back then during my childhood in my hometown, traditional food events were not only the connection between me and my family, but also a bridge that connected everyone across our country. For instance, the Lunar New Year was one of our biggest celebrations, and it happened annually throughout the country. During this time around, we get together and enjoy traditional foods, visit relatives, and friends, exchange “lucky money” and wish them a happy new year. Among that, we also have a family get-together for traditional cooking with Banh Chung (Rice Cake) and Thit Kho Tau (Caramelized Pork and Egg with rice). So forth, thanks to rice, my childhood has been surrounded by heartwarming festivals, love, and care from my family. As a result, it has created my personality into a caring and appreciative person.
During my teenage years, I studied abroad in the United States and had to learn how to cook for myself. I started to recognize more about the meaning of food, such as calories, carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins, and minerals but not completely understand their true meaning or purposes. I later found myself in a wonderful relationship. The taste of food changed during this period. Food and love seem to have a special chemistry that made me carefree and unable to see the need to control my intake to avoid becoming overweight.
Following a painful breakup, I had a shift in viewpoint and attitude toward food. The altered atmosphere also made me more careful. I eventually made new good friends who gave me more helpful advice regarding food and helped me get back on my feet. I started to take eating more seriously as a result. I began to make a greater effort to use the Healthy Eating Plate to balance my daily meals, which consists of fruit, grain, veggies, protein, and dairy. In order to stop myself from mindlessly eating, I also started to be more selective about what I ate and set a daily calorie intake restriction.
Overall, food is a reflection of my journey to become a better person everyday. Food has started to shape me into a more self-aware person and has made me more selective about the foods I eat. Finally, food is a representation of my identity, my upbringing, and the values I cherish the most.